Barrette



Mmh l2 1929. A. GOODMAN ETHL BARRETTE Fi'led oct. 4, 1928 Patented Mar.l2, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ABRAHAM GOODMAN, OF NEW YORK, AND JACOB GOODMAN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

BARRETTE.

Application filed October 4, 1928.

This invention relates to an improved barrette or ornamental clasp forholding hair in place.

Objects.

Among the principal objects which the invention has in view are: toprovide a barrette constructed of a single piece or strip of metal; toproduce the barrette in a form y to be conveniently applied to the hairor detached therefrom; to provide resilient means for retaining thebarrette applied to the hair as in service; to provide a nonmetalliecovering portion for the top of the barrette for augmenting theornamental appearance thereof; to produce an effective method ofattaching the covering to the metal; and generally to simplify and1mprove the construction.

Drawings.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a girls head, showing a barretteconstructed 1n accordance with the present invention and applied to thehair as in service;

Figure 2 is a top or plan view of the barrette;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the barrette in unclosed orunclasped position;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional View taken as on the line 4 4 ofFigure 3;

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional View of the barrette in closed orclasped position; and

Figures 6 and 7 illustrate modifications of the invention.

Description.

In detail, the invention is embodied in a barrette or ornamental claspfor maintaining the hair in place, which, in its preferred form, isconstructed of a -single stripor piece of metal having a longitudinalportlon 10 forming the back or top. This ornamental portion terminatesat one end in a hook 11 and at the other end in a reverse bend 12. Atongue 13 extends from the reverse bend back along the longitudinalortion 10 and is coupled to the reverse bend by a sharp concave bend orconnection 14 in such a way as to normally throw or bias the hook awayfrom the free end of the tongue, as shown in Figure 3. This position ofthe barrette is the unclosed or unclasped position.

Serial No. 310,216.

The tongue 13 is slightly concaved or curved away from the longitudinalportion l0 and is constructed of a rigid, unbending material. Thelongitudinal portion, 11, is of a flexible yielding material and may bebent or fiexed so that the hook 11 engages the free end of the tongue,as in Figure 5. This is the hair clasping position of the barrette. Thetongue is also preferably curved somewhat transversely to provide asmooth surface engaging the hair and prevent any sharp edge striking thehair. The longitudinal portion 10 is normally slightly curved or bowedaway from the tongue 13 in open position of the barrette shown in Figure3, but when moved to closed position, 11, the longitudinal portion isflexed so as to assume a slightly convex curve with respect to thetongue as shown in Figure 5 to firmly clasp the hair arranged betweenthe longitudinal portion and the tongue.

The barrette, as thus described, is preferably constructed of a singlestrip or piece ot' metal, such as steel, but the tongue and longitudinalportion 10 are treated differently to render the tongue rigid andunbending and the longitudinal portion flexible.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention shown, a non-metalliccovering 15 is preferably disposed on the top of the longitudinalportion 10 of the barrette. This covering may be constructed of anynonmetallic material which softens somewhat under the influence of heatand is applied to the barrette and maintained in service permanently onthe portion 10 by the engagement of side edges 16 which are lipped orcrimped around the edges of the portion 10. The covering is applied tothe longitudinal portion, as by subjecting the material of the coveringto sufficient heat to soften it, then by forcing it on said portion inits soft state and crimping the side edges 16 firmly around the edges.The covering may be colored in any desirable and attractive manner andmay be fashioned and finished sa as to provide a handsome article.

In lieu of this construction, the covering may be omitted as shown inFigure 6.

In the application of the barrette to the hair, the hair is neatlyarranged and placed between the longitudinal portion 10 with or withoutthe covering 15 and the rigid tongue portion 13, while the barrette isin its unclosed or unclasped position as shown in Figure 3. The tongueis underneath the hair, While the `portion y10 is above the nhair andthe ',overing 15 is the only Visible part of the barrette. The barretteis closed or clasped by forcing the hook, 11, toward and into engagementWith the tongue as shown in Figure 5 and this closed position of thebarrette is firmly maintained in service by virtue of the resilientaction of the longitudinal portion tending to open up the barrette andfree ythe hook.

The structure described oit the reverse bend 12 with shar concave Ibend14 providing .an out-Ward y Having rigid tongue produces a superiorarticle and a high amount of resiliency in the longitudinal portion Whenin closed position, thus insuring a firm engagement of the tongue andthe hook and a stable closed or clasped position of the barrette aroundthe hair. As stated, the covering 15 or portion t() is the only part ofthe barrette which is visible when applied to the hair and as this Iisnicely finished the 'barrette lhas an ornamental and attractiveappearance in the hair.

As an alternative manner of applying the celluloid covering to vthe backof the -barrette, We have shown yin Figure 7 the hook end provided withindented notches, 18. The covering 17 is applied in a hard condition andis slid on the portion l() from the hook end, the lips 19 slidinginthenotches 18. The covering has a tight .tit on the portion 10 .and is heldin place thereon in a firm manner by friction.

Of course, minor changes and alterations in the construction shown anddescribed may be resorted to in the practice 'of the invention, and wedesire to be limited only by the state of the prior art and the -scopeof the appended claim.

What We claim is:

The method of forming a barrette coinprising the shaping of an elongatedtop portion and an integral lresilient 'pin portion underlying said toportion, forming a 'keeper at the tree end oi) said 'top portion, vbowingsaid top portion and pin towards each other, and depositing a coating'of celluloid on the upper surface of said top fportion While saidcelluloid is softened under the application of heat.

ABRAHAM GOODMAN. J AOOB GOODMAN.

